Who is G O D? Or Hindi- Bhagwan Ot Iswar in Sanskrit

The Vishnu Purana defines Bhagavān as follows,

उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानामागतिं गतिम् |
वेत्तिं विद्यामविद्यां च स वाच्यो भगवानिति || He who understands the creation and dissolution, the appearance and disappearance of beings, the wisdom and ignorance, should be called Bhagavān.

— Vishnu Purana, VI.5.78 ^[13]

BHAGWAAN SHABD PAANCH AKSHARO SE MILKAR BANA HAI. PEHLE KA ARTH HINDI ME BHOOMI(EARTH) DOOSRE KA ATH GAGAN(SPACE) TEESRE KA ARTH VAAYU(AIR) CHAUTHE KA ARTH AGNI (FIRE)AUR PAANCHVE KA ARTH NEER(WATER) HAI. AAP SABHI YE TO JAANTE HE HONGE KI HAMARA SHRIR BHI INHI MOOLBHOOT TATVO SE HE NIRMIT HAI,TO BHAGWAAN KO BAHAR KYON KHOJTE PHIRTE HAI WO TO YAHI HAI HAMARE BHEETAR BUS UNHE DEKHNE WALI AANKHEN(BHAKTI) CHAHIYE.                          

                BHAGWAAN KI PRAKRITI CHAR AUR ACHAR DONO HAI .AGAR CHAR ROOP ME DEKHNA HAI TO SABHI DIKHAI DENE WALE JEEV UNKI CHAR PRAKRITI KA PRAMAN HAI AUR AGAR ACHAR PRAKRITI KI BAAT KARE TO JIS PRAKAAR DO WOOD KE TUKDO KO AAPAS ME RAGADNE SE JO AGNI PAIDA HOTI HAI WO PEHLE TO NAHI DIKHTI LAKIN WO HOTI WAHI HAI YAHI BHAGWAAN KI ACHAR PRAKRITI HAI.

Inscriptions

Heliodorus Khamba (pillar) in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Installed about 100 BCE, the pillar's Brahmi-script inscription states that Heliodorus is a Bhagvatena (devotee) of Vishnu.^[39]

Greek

A word derived from Bhagavan is documented epigraphically from around 100 BCE, such as in the inscriptions of the Heliodorus pillar; in which Heliodorus, an Indo-Greek ambassador from Taxila to the court of a Shunga king, addresses himself as a Bhagavata ("Heliodorena bhagavatena", Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Report (1908-1909)):^[40]

This Garuda-standard of Vasudeva (Vishnu), the God of Gods was erected here by the Bhagavatena (devotee) Heliodoros, the son of Dion, a man of Taxila, sent by the Great Greek (Yona) King Antialcidas, as ambassador to King Kasiputra Bhagabhadra, the Savior son of the princess from Benares, in the fourteenth year of his reign."^[b]

Yoga Chants

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
(low-kaah’-ha suh-muh-staah’-ha soo-khee-no’ bhuh’-vun-too)

May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way, to that happiness and to that freedom for all. 

---

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
  Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा  ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Meaning:
1: Om, Lead us from Unreality (of Transitory Existence) to the Reality (of Self),
2: Lead us from the Darkness (of Ignorance) to the Light (of Spiritual Knowledge),
3: Lead us from the Fear of Death to the Knowledge of Immortality.
4: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Jai Bhagwan
A Hindi version of the ancient  Sanskrit greeting "Namaste"
which is still in everyday use in India  and Nepal Himalaya. Translated roughly,
it means "I bow to the God  within you", or "The Spirit within me salutes the
Spirit in  you" - a knowing that we are all made from the same One Divine Consciousness.

 Jai Bhagwan is used  interchangeable with Namaste is some yoga classes.

 jai bhagwan

The literal translation of Jai,  from hindi to engish is victory or victorious, and "Bhagavan, also  written Bhagwan or Bhagawan, from the Sanskrit stem bhaga-vant, literally  means "possessing fortune, blessed, prosperous" (from the noun  bhaga, meaning "fortune, wealth","god"), and hence  "illustrious, divine, venerable, holy.
It is a greeting that basically  means may the bhagavan - divine prosperous, etc - in you be victorious.

Om Sarvesham Swastirvavatu

A sanskrit mantra from Upanishad

ॐ सर्वेशां स्वस्तिर्भवतु ।
सर्वेशां शान्तिर्भवतु ।
सर्वेशां पुर्णंभवतु ।
सर्वेशां मङ्गलंभवतु ।


ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥


Om Sarveshaam Svastir-Bhavatu |
Sarveshaam Shaantir-Bhavatu |
Sarveshaam Purnnam-Bhavatu |
Sarveshaam Manggalam-Bhavatu |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||


Om - May auspiciousness be unto all.

May peace be unto all.

May fullness be unto all.

May prosperity be unto all.

 

 

Maha-Mrityunjaya Mantra:

(a.k.a. Moksha Mantra)

  Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe

Sughandhim Pushti-vardanam,

Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan,

Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritaat.



Om - We worship the three-eyed One, Lord Siva,

who like a sweet fragrance permeates and nourishes all beings.  

May He liberate us from death and grant us immortality,

just as the ripe cucumber is easily freed from the binding vine
 
 

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

 

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam

Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate
Puurnnashya Puurnnam-Aadaaya

Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

 

Om, That is complete (full, perfect, whole),

This is complete (full, perfect, whole),

From the completeness comes the completeness

If completeness is taken away from completeness, Only completeness remains

Om, Peace, peace, peace

33 KOTI GODS. NOT 33 CRORE GODS

People having either no knowledge or incomplete knowledge say that there are 33 crore gods in Hinduism whereas there is only One God and 33 deities:
The eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, and the twelve Adityas-----these are thirty one. And Indra and Prajapati make up the thirty three--The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: 3: 9: 2

Any number, whether 33 million or 33 crore or 33 thousand, except 33 is incorrect.

Which are the eight Vasus?
Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun, heaven, the moon, and the stars-----these are the Vasus; for in them all this [universe] is placed (vasavah) (वसवः). Therefore, these are called Vasus.
----------The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: 3: 9: 3
...

Katame vasava ityagnischa prithivi cha vaayuschantarikhang chadityascha dayuscha chandramascha naksatraani chaite vasava eteshu hidang sarvam hitamiti tasmad vasava eti ||
The Vasus transform themselves into the bodies and organs of all beings, which serve as the support of their work and its fruition, and also into their dwelling places. These Vasus enable beings to live (vaasayanti) (वासयन्ति).

Which are the Rudras (रुद्राः)?
The ten organs in the human body, with the mind as the eleventh. When they depart from this mortal body [when a man dies], they make [one's relatives] weep (rud) (रुद). Therefore, they are called Rudras (रुद्राः)
----------The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: 3: 9: 4

The ten organs mentioned in the verse refer to the five sensory and the five motor organs

Which are the 12 Adityas?
"There are twelve months in a year. These are the Adityas because they move along carrying (aadadaanaah) (आददानाह) all this (life and all its phases) with them. Therefore, they are called Adityas"
----------The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: 3: 9: 5
...

From the daily routine of a man to his longevity and the results of his works, everything is carried on by time (12 months, year by year).
 

देवी देवताओं की कुल संख्या कितनी है 33 करोड़ देवी-देवता ? नहीं, 33 कोटि(प्रकार)

लोगों का मानना है कि हिंदू धर्म में 33 करोड़ देवी-देवता हैं, लेकिन ऐसा है नहीं। यह एक गलतफहमी के कारण हुआ है। शास्त्रों में, खासकर वेदों में 33 कोटि देवी-देवताओं का उल्लेख है। इस कारण से कहा जाता है कि देवी देवताओं की संख्या 33 करोड़ है।

जबकि कोटि का अर्थ श्रेणी या प्रकार भी होता है और करोड़ भी। तो लोगों ने उसे हिंदी में करोड़ पढ़ना शुरू कर दिया जबकि वेदों का तात्पर्य 33 कोटि अर्थात 33 प्रकार के देवी-देवताओं से है। (चाहें तो उच्च कोटि और निम्न कोटि जैसे शब्दों की मिसाल से भी समझ सकते हैं।)
यह भी उल्लेखनीय है कि 33 करोड़ देवी देवताओं के नामों का कहीं उल्लेख नहीं मिलता जबकि 33 देवों का जिक्र हर कहीं मिल जाता है। अर्थ को गलत संदर्भों में समझने के कारण 33 प्रकार के देव, 33 करोड़ देवी देवताओं में बदल गए।

हिन्दू धर्म ग्रंथों में प्रकृति पूजा को प्रधानता दी गयी है, क्योंकि, प्रकृति से ही मनुष्य जाति है ना कि मनुष्य जाति से प्रकृति है। अतः प्रकृति को धर्म से जोड़ा जाना और उनकी पूजा करना सर्वथा उपर्युक्त है। यही कारण है कि सूर्य, चन्द्र, वरुण, वायु, अग्नि को भी देवता माना गया है और इसी प्रकार कुल 33 प्रकार के देवी देवता हैं।
33 कोटि अर्थात श्रेणी के देवताओं में आठ वसु, ग्यारह रुद्र, बारह आदित्य और दो इंद्र और प्रजापति शामिल है। कुछ विद्वान इंद्र और प्रजापति के स्थान पर दो अश्विनीकुमारों की गणना भी करते हैं। तैंतीस देवताओं की गणना 12 आदित्य, 8 वसु, 11 रुद्र और दो प्रजापति या अश्विनीकुमार को मिला कर पूरी होती है।

बारह आदित्य हैं : धाता, मित्, अर्यमा, शक्र, वरुण, अंश, भग, विवस्वान, पूषा, सविता, त्वष्टा, एवं विष्णु।

आठ वसु हैं : धर, ध्रुव, सोम, अह, अनिल, अनल, प्रत्युष एवं प्रभाष।

ग्यारह रूद्र हैं : हर, बहुरूप, त्र्यम्बक, अपराजिता, वृषाकपि, शम्भू, कपर्दी, रेवत, म्रग्व्यध, शर्व तथा कपाली।

2 अश्विनी कुमार हैं। इस प्रकार देवों की संख्या 33 हो जाती है।

33 Devas. IT IS NOT 33 CRORE BUT 33 KOTI(TYPE)

33 Devas

May Varuna with guidance straight,
And Mitra the One-who-knows,
And Aryaman in accord with Aditya,
Guide us forth, like the wind that blows,
As with their Might Evermore
They guard the Sacred Laws,
Shelter may they vouchsafe to us,
Immortal Gods to mortal men..

DEVAS ,in Sanskrit root 'Div' meaning the 'Shining One'.

The effulgent Devas

The derived term 'Deus' or 'Dios' from the same root, is still used to refer to God in modern European languages and even in the translations of the New Testament of Bible. The oldest texts detail 33 principle Devas who were the guardians of Nature and Cosmic Creation. They are:

• 12 Adityas or Solar gods including Indra, Surya, Mitra and Varun
• 11 Rudras, the Manifestations of Lord Shiva
• 8 Vasus or Elemental gods such as Vayu, Agni, Antariksh and Dyaus, the Sky God
• Prajapati Brahma
• Shri Hari Vishnu

The ancients especially venerated the Adityas and Vedas are full of hymns dedicated to Indra, Agni, Surya, Varun and the like. The 12 Adityas correspond to the 12 Solar months and represent different attributes of social life. These are:

Ansh (due share),
Aryaman (nobility),
Bhaag (due inheritance),
Dhatri (ritual skill),
Tvashtar (skill in crafting),
Mitra (friendship),
Pushan/Ravi (prosperity),
Savitra/Parjanya (power of word),
Surya/Vivasvan (social law),
Varun (fate),
Vaman (cosmic law).

Indra/Shakra, of course is the eldest and the undoubted leader of other Adityas and has proved his worth on numerous occasions, most famous of his exploits being the slaying of the dragon Vritra.

Indra leads the Adityas

Interestingly, these 12 Adityas were adopted into Chinese and Japanese Buddhism as guardians of the monasteries covering the four main directions, four semi-directions, above, below and the Sun and Moon. They are known as Devas or Ten 天 in Japan (which literally means Heaven or Celestial).

The 12 Japanese Devas

A similar depiction is found on a rock-cut cave far away in Yazili Kaya in Turkey! This rock-cave has multiple depictions of Gods and Goddesses that resemble Hindu gods. The lower chamber in this cave shows a frieze with 12 gods carved onto it who were worshiped by the people known as Hittites.

The 12 Adityas from Turkey

Moving on, the 8 Vasus are attendant deities of Indra and comprise of eight elemental gods that represent the different aspects of Nature. They include:

Anal (Fire),
Anil (Wind),
Apas (Water),
Antariksh/Dyaus (Space),
Dhara (Earth),
Dhruv (Pole Star),
Prabhas (Dawn),
Soma (Moon).


The 11 Rudras are three-eyed manifestations of the Original Rudra and include Lord Shiva, who, along with Prajapati Brahma and Shri Hari Vishnu forms a part of the highest echelons of the hierarchy amongst Gods known as the Trimurti . The respective roles of the Holy Hindu Trinity are:

• Brahma, the First in this Trinity and is the Creator and Master of all Divine Ceremonies.
• Shiva, the Cosmic Dancer, Nataraj who through his celestial dance, sustains the endless rhythm of the Universe.
• Vishnu, the Preserver god who incarnates to help mankind face the challenges posed whenever Evil forces become too dominant in the Universe.

With time, other manifestations of the Supreme Lord appeared and were also incorporated in the group of Devas. Principal amongst these are Ganesh, the elephant-headed son of Lord Shiv and Shakti; and Hanuman, the monkey-god who is the 12th manifestation of Lord Shiva. Others include the twin sons of Surya - Ashwini Kumars and the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu known as the Dashavatar.

Buddhist Cosmology expands the concept of the 33 Devas further and describes a separate Heaven for them called the Tavatimsa, on top of Mount Meru, similar to Mount Olympus of the Greeks in purpose as well as function).

Devas in the Heaven

The father of Indra is Dyaus who is worshiped as Zeus in Greek Mythology, Deus-Pater or Ju-piter in Roman Mythology, and as Ju-daea in Hebrew traditions. In Slavic Mythology, the same name appears as Div and in Norse Mythology as Ziu or Tyr.

Dyaus Pita/Zeus Pater/Jupiter

In fact, a number of gods in Indo-European civilizations have similar names as well as functions. In Norse mythology, Odin is the All-father resembling Dyaus/Zeus. The Greek god Ouranos & Vedic Varun are very similar in nomenclature as well as attributes. Likewise, the Hindu Storm-gods known as Maruts are quite similar to Mars, the Roman God of War.

The Mittanis of middle-east (2000 BCE) worshiped Mitra, Varun, Indra, Tvaṣṭṛ and Nasatya (One of the two Ashvini brothers)! Greeks also worshiped one of the Adityas, Mithras while the Egyptians and Romans were big devotees of another Aditya Surya/Apollo/Re. The rivalry between Devas and their elder brothers Asuras also finds echo in the legends of Titans and their younger brothers Olympians.

Indo-Greek gods

Hindu mythology gives an insight about the principles and thoughts valued by our ancients from the time when they had a COMMON Belief-system. However, a Hindu, with sufficient insight into his religion, will not get swayed by these different manifestations and knows that all these gods are images representing the many facets of One Reality, the Supreme Brahman.

At its core, Hinduism has always believed in One Supreme God Who manifests Himself as many in order to Create, Preserve and ultimately Annihilate the Creation. This Supreme Brahman is beyond concepts and images and this attitude of Inclusiveness provides the characteristic of tolerance to Hinduism.

Devas in the Universal Form of Lord Vishnu

LINK TO MY OTHER BLOG

330 million Gods? The Vedas refer to not millions of deities but 33 supreme deities.

33 CRORE GODS?

A popular but unfounded belief has been spread that Hindus have 33 crore gods. It is a misunderstanding of the Vedic concept of the State, and hence a misinterpretation of the word koti. 

33 divinities are mentioned in the Yajur-veda, Atharva-veda, Satapatha-brahmana, and in several other Vedic and later texts. The number thirty-three occurs with reference to divinities in the Parsi scriptures of Avesta as well.The expression trayastrimsa deva is found in the list of classes of gods in Sanskrit Buddhist texts like the Divyavadana and Suvarnaprabhasa-sutra.

The word koti in 'trayastrimsati koti' does not mean the number '33 crore' or '330 million'. Here koti means 'supreme', pre-eminent, excellent, that is, the 33 'supreme' divinities.


The word koti has the same meaning as uchha koti.

It was a problem even in AD 725 when Subhakarasimha and his Chinese colleague I-hsing translated the Mahavairocana-sutra into Chinese. They rendered the compound sapta-koti-buddha as shichi (sapta) kotei (koti) butsu (buddha) in which they did not translate the word koti that transliterated its pronunciation as kotei. The Buddhas were not 'seven crore', but only 'Seven Supreme Buddhas': six predecessors and the historic Buddha. Tibetan masters who translated Sanskrit texts into Tibetan, rendered koti byrnam which means 'class, kind, category'.

In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, chapter 3, Yājñavalkya has said that in reality there are only 33 gods and goddesses. Of these 8 are Vasus, 11 Rudras, 12 Adityas, and Indra and Prajapati.

33 koti gods = 8 Vasus + 11 Rudras + 12 Adityas + 2 Heaven and Earth ( 8+ 11 + 12 + 2 = 33).

33 KOTI GODS

(The following is a small part of conversation between Śākalya and Sage Yājñavalkya.

There were eight people who put questions to Sage Yājñavalkya at King Janaka's court. Śākalya was the eight. Śākalya dies, in the very audience, due to an incident that took place on account of too much meaningless querying. Why? You will have to go through the whole incident ;) Believe us, its amazing!

It has been documented in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - Chapter 3.)

Śākalya         : "How many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya  : "Three hundred and three." Then he says, "Three thousand and three."

Śākalya         : "Is this the answer that you give me to my question, how many gods     are there? Three thousand and three; three hundred and three! Have you no other answer to this question?"
Yājñavalkya  : There are thirty-three gods.

Śākalya         : "All right!" (not satisfied with answer) ...Tell me again properly; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya   : "Six are there."

Śākalya         : "How many gods are there. Tell me again. Think properly."
Yājñavalkya   : "Only three gods are there."

Śākalya         : "How many gods are there? Tell again.
Yājñavalkya   : "Two gods are there."

Śākalya         :  "Tell again; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya   :  "One and a half gods"

(Then he was very much upset) 

Śākalya         :  "What is this you say, one and a half gods. Tell again properly; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya  :  "One god is there,"

Śākalya         : "All these numbers that you have mentioned – three thousand and three, three hundred and  three – what are these gods? Give the names of these gods, the deities."
Yājñavalkya  :   "All these three thousand and all that I mentioned – they are not really gods. They are only   manifestations of the thirty-three. The thirty-three are the principal manifestations, and others are only their glories, radiances, manifestations, magnificences or forces, energies,  powers."

Śākalya         : "But what are these thirty-three?"
Yājñavalkya   : "The thirty-three gods are eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, then Indra and Prajāpati – these make thirty-three gods."

Śākalya         : "What are these Vasus which are eight in number?"
Yājñavalkya   : "Fire is one deity; earth is one deity; air is another; the atmosphere is one deity; the sun is one deity; the heaven is one deity; moon is one deity; the stars are one deity. These constitute eight groups"

Śākalya         : "Why do you call them Vasus?"
Yājñavalkya   : "Everything is deposited as it were in these constituent principles. Therefore, they are called Vasus."

Śākalya         : "Who are the Rudras?"
Yājñavalkya  : "The ten senses and the mind make eleven. These are the Rudras."
        
Śākalya         : "What are the twelve Ādityas, the suns?"
Yājñavalkya   : "They are twelve forces of the sun, takes away the vitality of people."

Śākalya         : "Who is Indra? Who is Prajāpati?"
Yājñavalkya   : "The rain cloud can be called Indra. Sacrifice can be called Prajāpati."

Śākalya         : "What do you mean by rain cloud?"
Yājñavalkya   : "By rain cloud I do not actually mean the cloud, but the lightning which is the embodiment of energy."

(Note: Ancient scriptures are filled with many astonishing events and stories. At Revival of True India  we are planning to portray them in a very beautiful, interesting and understandable way. Do stay in touch.)

THE NON-DUAL ONE

The essence of all scriptures:

Sanskrit     :  "Ekam evadvitiyam"
Translation:  "He is One only without a second."

God is one, but he has many names and forms. Since God is omnipresent, omnipresent and omniscient, should not He be present everywhere and in all the existence?

Just like electricity flowing in our homes - it becomes cool air flowing through the AC, becomes light glowing in the bulbs, becomes heat in the kitchen, becomes music through the speakers, dances as pixels on our computer screen - one energy is blissfully dancing through this creation ; 'The Universal Law' or 'The Cosmic Celebration' whatever one can call.

God is the substratum of this existence. Everything is inside God, because there is no outside at all!

God is one, yet He is many - this is the highest secret, they say, which needs to be experienced and lived as it cannot be understood!

swami-krishnananda
http://www.namami.org